To Die For
by Inutori
Summary: -ON HOLD- AU- Demons rose and conquered the world until one man formed a rebellion that brought the treacherous reign to an end. The demons send Inuyasha into the past to kill the usurper's family before he becomes a threat.
1. The Start

**Inutori:** *yawns* I've started another fic…perhaps this one will be a bit more interesting than some of my others, besides ADD, that is.

**Inuyasha:** You can untie me now, wench.

**Inutori:** I could, but I don't want to.  Since I can't own you, you'll have to remain tied to that chair until all of my fanfics are finished.

**Inuyasha:** …

**Inutori:** Well, peoples, go read the story and tell me what you think.  I'll need at least ten reviews for this chapter in order for me to consider continuing.

**Inuyasha:** Greedy pig.

Chapter 1

The Start

"Inuyasha, you can't mess this up, understood?"  The silver-haired demon glared down at his little brother.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru."  He was bored beyond imagine as he listened to the youkai drill him for what seemed like the hundredth time on his upcoming mission.

Inuyasha continued picking dirt from under his claws as he sat at the headquarters of the demon base.  Trained as a killing machine, Inuyasha had been told for several years that he was going to be sent to the past to change their future.  A human by the name of Inuchi Higurashi would bring down the demon empire that had blossomed in this last century.  It was his mission to stop Inuchi's life before it even began; he was to kill the boy's mother and father.

Unfortunately, one glitch in his mission was that it was unknown who were the parents of the blasted guy.  Basically, he was to go and massacre anyone by the name of Higurashi as well as any relations they might have.

The hanyou yawned again before climbing into the time capsule that would transport him to the past.  Snuggling into the chair, he closed his eyes and relaxed.

Kikyou awoke quickly as she listened to her younger sister stomp around like a monster.  She had graduated from high school last year, but Kagome was just going into the tenth grade.  The nineteen year-old girl sighed and sat up, knowing that with all of that racket she would never be able to get back to sleep.

Kagome burst into her older sister's room, looking bright and cheery as ever.  "Kikyou nee-san, can I use your hairdryer?"  The teenager's hair was up in a towel at the moment, apparently she had just taken a shower.

"Whatever."  Kikyou slid off the bed and stood up lazily.  The other girl quickly exited her room and shut the door.  Through the wall, Kikyou could hear the hairdryer start.  A small smile formed on her lips as she thought about her little sister and the fact that she was about to start her high school years.

The raven-haired woman changed out of her pajamas and into traditional miko robes to prepare for her day's work at the shrine they resided at.  It had been her chore since her fifteenth birthday to maintain the sacred grounds and she had kept with her duties all through high school, and still continued to faithfully work at the holy place.

Heading down the stairs, she came across Kagome, who was inhaling a bowl of cereal for breakfast before she ran to school.  Her sister was nothing like her on the inside, despite their similarities in their appearances.  Kagome was a very emotional girl, while Kikyou kept to herself most of the time.  Even though it was Kikyou who had a boyfriend and not Kagome.  Onigumo seemed to like Kikyou even if she didn't warm up to him; he came by every day to keep her company and to take her out for lunch.

Kagome ran past her in her rush to get out the door so as to not be late for school.  Kikyou merely sidestepped seeing as how this was an everyday occurrence.  

"Bye Kikyou, see you after school!"

After Kagome left, Kikyou walked outside and to the back of the shrine, where she met up with two people who were sworn to protect her.  Miroku and Sango.  Two humans from the future that said she had a vital role to play in earth's future and they couldn't let her die.

She had taken this all in stride, finding out that she was to have a son named Inuchi that would save the world from the tyranny of the demons.  It all seemed kind of bizarre, but Kikyou wasn't one to be fooled easily, so she had tested them.  They had proved to her what they were saying, except the part where they said that Onigumo was probably the father of Inuchi.  Not wanting her family to worry, she had said nothing to them for the last three years since she discovered her bodyguards.  She had also put up with Onigumo's presence due to Sango's persistance.

"It's exactly a year now."

Kikyou looked at Miroku with a true poker face.  "What's exactly a year?"

Sango answered for the monk.  "It is exactly a year until the child will be born."

Kikyou merely shrugged and picked up her bow and a quiver of arrows lying on the bench.  "What are these doing out here?"

"Kagome, you're sister, was using them this morning."  Sango frowned as she spoke.  "Do you know how hard it is to keep houshi-sama away from her?"

"How good is she?"  Kikyou was examining her hand carved bow carefully as she spoke, seemingly ignoring Sango's side remark.

"I'd say she's as good if not better than you now."  Sango pouted slightly at being ignored by Kikyou, but she was pretty much accustomed to it by now.  "She's been working at it since just after we arrived, you know.  You should have seen her when she first got started."

Kikyou began to walk away from them casually, but still grabbing their attention.

"What is it, Kikyou-sama?"  Miroku trotted up to stand next to her, priest-pole in hand.

"Don't you sense it?  We have company."

Miroku channeled his spiritual powers and located a disturbance of demon youki.  "You're right, there's a demon here."

Sango cocked her giant boomerang, Hairakotsu, and spread her legs into a better fighting stance.  A rustling came from the trees behind them and Sango threw her weapon that way without warning.  The boomerang came back to her and she caught it with minimal effort, but nothing popped out of the brush.

She furrowed her eyebrows and took a step towards the thick woods.

"Don't, Sango."  Miroku blocked her path with his priest pole as he continued to stare unblinking at the forest.  His purple robes rustled slightly in the stiff breeze, but otherwise, he remained completely motionless.

Kikyou was the same, and Sango looked at the both of them, wondering if they had some sort of ESP going on between the two.  They stood there for at least five minutes before any of them spoke.

"Well, whatever it was, it's gone now."  Kikyou let her arm holding her bow relax and drop to her side.  Over the last few years she had become so tense and weary of attack that very seldom did she ever have time to let it all out.  Even now she still had her guard up in case of attack.

Inuyasha let out his breath after he was a good distance away from the group of humans.  Two of them he had recognized as leaders of the human forces in the future.  Which concluded that the woman with them must be the mother of Inuchi.  She was fair with raven hair just like the rebel leader, so the hanyou was easily able to make the connection between the two.

He pulled down the baseball cap on his head and stepped out of the woods and into a park a few miles from the shrine.  Taking a look around, he saw a small lake surrounded by willows and a paved path that weaved through the trees and circled around the body of water.  Quite the serene place and definitely more appealing then what this same place looked like in the future.  Eventually this was all going to be ripped out and the lake filled in, and then an armory would be built to supply the demon army with the finest weapons possible.  

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he began to shuffle along the path around the lake.  Right beside the park he spotted a brick building with a wire fence around it.  A little curious, Inuyasha walked around to the front of the building and read the sign attached to the fence that surrounded the rickety place.

"Sawati High School, Built 1923."  He shrugged, not really caring anymore than usual.

The rest of the day he kind of meandered around the park waiting for night to come so that he could attack the girl.  Towards evening, the said girl, or so he thought, was skipping around the park towards a boy with sandy brown hair.  She was wearing a schoolgirl uniform with a green skirt that came to mid thigh and a long-sleeve white blouse.

He hopped through the trees to listen in to her conversation.  His first thought was that this boy was going to be the future father of Inuchi.  The kid was also wearing a school uniform.

"Hey Hojou-kun, fancy meeting you here!"  The girl's cheery voice carried up to him on his perch nearby.

"Y-yeah…Higurashi-san, I got this for you."  The boy called 'Hojou' pulled a small trinket out of his pocket and held it out to the girl.  He was obviously blushing, but the 'Higurashi' kept smiling at him; it was almost as if it was a fake smile…

"Thanks Hojou-kun!"  Higurashi took the package from him and looked like she was about to leave.

"Higurashi-san, will you go out with me?"

Inuyasha almost fell out of his tree.  In three months this girl was supposed to conceive and she was just NOW getting a boyfriend?

The girl's smile faltered.  "Um…gomen, Hojou-kun, but I'd like to just stay friends for now."

The boy seemed unfazed by this and continued smiling broadly at her.  "That's alright.  When you change your mind, just tell me!"  At this the boy trotted away from her down the pathway while the girl just stared at his retreating figure.

Since the girl was now alone, Inuyasha took this opportunity to hop down from the tree and charge the girl from behind.

The girl jerked around and gasped when she saw him, and he took pleasure from seeing the fear in her eyes.  Just then, an arrow shot at him and hit him in the shoulder, causing him to stumble to the side and grab at the cause of his new wound.

"Stay away from my sister!"  A girl who looked very similar to the one he had been about to attack stepped out of the trees and glared at him.  She had another arrow notched on the string and was aiming for his heart.

Inuyasha was frozen in confusion.  The two girls looked a lot a like, only the one that had the bow looked maybe three or four years older.  Which one was he supposed to kill?

The woman released her arrow and Inuyasha watched as it flew towards his chest.  Everything seemed to go in slow motion as the younger Higurashi jumped at him and shoved him out of the way of the arrow, getting herself hit in the ribcage with that very same object.  She let out a piercing scream as she fell to the ground, pulling Inuyasha with her and at the same time waking him up from his trance. 

They hit the ground with a thud and Inuyasha shoved the small girl away from him and leapt to his feet to run away.  He heard the screaming behind him of what sounded like that Major, Sango, as they all rushed forward to tend to the now-wounded girl on the ground.

So maybe that schoolgirl wasn't the one he was after.  What a stupid mistake to make.  It was her older sister that was being guarded by the humans from the future.  But what stumped him was why that girl had pushed him out of the way of the arrow.  His mission would have been short-lived had it not been for her.

**Inutori:** Yes, I know.  This sounds uncannily like Terminator, but that IS what I got my inspiration from, so there.  **:**-P

**Inuyasha:** Shouldn't you be finishing Another DogDemon and not be starting new fics?

**Inutori:** Yeah…you're point?

**Inuyasha:** …

**Inutori:** Remember, if you want more, you HAVE TO REVIEW.  I probably won't even start writing the second chapter until I have ten reviews for this one.  Ja ne!


	2. Someday

**Inutori:** Well, here's chapter 2 for all of you that want it.  And that's probably everyone that's here right now…

**Inuyasha:** zzzz

**Inutori:** …

**Inuyasha:** zzzzzzzzz

**Inutori: ***kicks Inuyasha's side* WAKE UP, INUYASHA!!!

**Inuyasha:** huh?  whada ya wan?

**Inutori:** *face falls* Get up, it's time for the next chapter.

**Inuyasha:** Make me.

**Inutori:** I may not own you, but that doesn't keep me from pushing you around, you know! *kicks him in face*

**Inuyasha:** OK, OK, I'm up already!

**Inutori:** Much better.

Chapter 2

Someday

It had only been a day since he had arrived in Tokyo, but already he was questioning whether he'd be able to complete his mission.  All too soon both Inuchi's mother and the two generals from the future had discovered him.  Things just weren't working out for him.

And then there was the issue of that younger Higurashi.  Inuyasha just couldn't figure her out.  Why would a seemingly innocent young teenager try to save a demon?  She stumped him to the point that he couldn't stay away from her.  Compared to her sister, she was fairly easy to spy on, despite the fact that she was bedridden. 

Now, the older Higurashi had an air about her that was so mysterious that it sparked a curiosity in the young hanyou.  She seemed cold to the world, yet there was hidden emotion there that Inuyasha really wanted to see.  On the outside there appeared to be no flaws with the miko; she moved with unsurpassed grace and spoke calmly and to the point at all times.  

The sun set a second time since he had arrived in this world of the past.  He watched from a tree as the older Higurashi exited the house with a bow in her hand and began to silently walk into the forest.  She stopped just beside the trunk of the tree he was perched in and looked up.

"What is your name, demon?"

So she knew he was here.  Well, so much for secrecy.  He jumped down to stand in front of her, remaining only a few feet from his target.  "What's it to you, wench?"   His long, silver hair blew gently to the side and his clothes rustled softly in the breeze.  The tension stirring between the two was like turning cream into butter; it got thicker and thicker as time ticked on.

"I am Kikyou Higurashi, the miko of this shrine."

"I gathered that."  It seemed the only thing he could do was sneer at her and clench his fists.  What was holding him back from killing her on the spot, he didn't know.  Perhaps it had something to do with his driving curiosity about her and her sister…

Kagome sat up carefully, propping herself up on her elbow.  She groaned for a second as the dull pain pulsed through her body.  The doctor had said that the arrow hadn't hit any vital organs and that she had gotten off lucky.  Even so, the pain was almost unbearable.  

Looking out the window, she saw the sliver of moon in the sky surrounded by thousands of glittering orbs.  A feeling inside led her to believe that something important was going to happen soon, but what, she didn't know.  

She stood up on her shaky legs and made her way to the window until she was able to lean on the sill.  One blow and she had become this weak?  Boy did she need to train.  Kagome opened the window and peered out into the darkness, letting the cool, crisp breeze fill her aching lungs.  Something down at the edge of the woods caught her eye and as she gazed more closely, she saw that it was her elder sister standing in front of the strange boy from the previous night.

'Wait a minute…I thought Kikyou wanted to kill that guy.  Why is she just talking to him?  Something ain't right.'  Kagome gingerly touched her side where the arrow had hit her thee night before.  The projectile was gone, but the wound still burned her like the arrow was still lodged there.

Kagome kneeled down slowly and looked at the ground.  "Well, it is Kikyou's business what she does with herself, and I best not pry."  She crawled back to the foot of her bed and collapsed in pain before she was able to pull herself up onto the bed. 

After what seemed like hours, someone gently scooped her up and laid her down on the mattress.  They even went as far as to cover her with blankets.  Kagome groaned slightly and tried to open her eyes, but it was unsuccessful.  But even without opening her eyes, she managed to bite out a weary, "Thank you."

There was no response as she felt the cold breeze from outside.  After a while, Kagome fell into that deep abyss of slumber that took her away from all of the pain.

Inuyasha perched on a tree just outside the younger Higurashi's window.  The older one, Kikyou, had told him that for her sister's sake she would spare him.  How pathetic.  

But Inuyasha guessed that was a good thing because once again he had the opportunity to complete his mission.  How was it that these two girls were able to distract him so easily?  Shrugging, Inuyasha hopped from his branch and sat on the sill of Kikyou's sister's window.  

The smell emanating from the room was so enticing and luxurious.  Inuyasha closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  He could stay here forever.  The hanyou moved into a more comfortable position where he could still see the Higurashi girl.

The girl curled up under the covers seemed so harmless and gentle; not like her future nephew that would bring down the demons.  Inuyasha felt the guilt weigh him down that it was his fault for her injury.  That arrow could have killed her and he had just stood there.

Morning came before he realized it, since he had fallen asleep sitting in the open window.  When he opened his golden eyes, the younger Higurashi was looking at him calmly from her bed.

~

A/N Well, if you've read any of my other stories that have been updated, you know the drill.

This is known as Inutori's Exchange Rate

(# of reviews in the first 2 days after updating) = (how long the next chapter will be)

1-4 reviews = one-page chapter

5-9 reviews = two-page chapter

10-14 reviews = three-page chapter

15-19 reviews = four-page chapter

20-24 reviews = five-page chapter

and so on…

This system will be what I'll be going by for ALL of my stories from now on.  I makes it easier for me. 

If anyone has any questions, comments, or ideas for this story, I certainly could use them!

Review Responses:

To…

**Celeste**: he-he, that is for me to know and you to find out!  But just look at the pairings of my other stories…

**Nightshade**: I was actually considering doing that myself.

**Divine-Heart**: Thank you

**Hokuto**: I would have thought that this would be a popular idea for a fanfic storyline, but I haven't read any like this either, so thank you.

**Anime-Girl**: I am doing that now…

**Long Shot**: I'll try, but I may lose interest in this like I've lost interest in ADD.  But now that I've added another bad guy to it, I think that'll be more interesting for me…you probably don't care about ADD, do you?

OK, review and the next chapter should be out in two to three days…hopefully.  Just keep in mind my new system if you want longer chapters each time…


	3. What's This?

**Inutori:** I don't own Inuyasha, so don't sue me and just go read the story…I'm feeling lazy today.

**Inuyasha:** Aren't you always feeling lazy?

**Inutori:** That's besides the point!  *looks to reader*  For those of you who have read my stories and stuff, I pose this question:  From what you've seen, how old would you guess I am?  It was just a random thought that came into my head, you know.

Chapter 3 

What's This?

Inuyasha blinked his eyes a few times as he looked at the calm girl before him.  They seemed frozen in time and neither dared break eye contact.

The younger Higurashi sat up slowly and swung her legs off of the bed.  "How's your shoulder?"  She smiled at him brightly, but he could see her pain hidden beneath all of that.

"…"

"My side still is killing me."  A small giggle was emitted from her mouth as she slowly began to stand up.

"I'm fine."  He looked at her curiously as she fumbled towards the window towards him.  Her breathing was fairly hard and her legs seemed to be shaking.

"Is that so…I feel so helpless right now, myself."  She made it to the window and leaned against the wall just beside Inuyasha.  "I can't go to school and I'm stuck inside my room for who knows how long."  The girl looked over at him.  Inuyasha saw the truth in her words clearly; she DID look so helpless.  

He stepped off the windowsill and into her room.  "Humans are weak and pathetic, that's why I'm not one."  Inuyasha sat down on the floor and looked away from her.

"Yeah, I guess us humans are weak.  We take one or two blows and we're down for the count."  The girl slowly slid down the wall until she was sitting next to him.  They sat there for a few minutes in silence, each was thinking about the other.

"What's your name?"  Inuyasha looked at the bed like he was asking it his question.

"Kagome, how about you?"  She looked at him sweetly, even though he wasn't looking.

"…"  Inuyasha debated as to whether he should respond, but he did ask her first, so it was only fair.  "Inuyasha."

"Well, Inuyasha-kun, it's a pleasure to meet you.  You can come by any time you feel like it, though I would recommend staying away from Kikyou."  

Inuyasha turned to look at her like she was an alien.  No one had ever been this kind to him; TRULY kind to him, that is.  Normally they would all have reasons for their kindness, but this girl, this Kagome, she had no reason to be kind to him.  "Keh."

He stood up and was about to leave when Kagome spoke again.  "Could you help me back to my bed before you go?"

Inuyasha turned and looked back at her, deciding whether or not he should.  "Keh."  He bent down and carefully picked Kagome up bridal style.  Going over to her bed, he bent over again to let her down as gently as possible, keeping in mind how pained she was earlier.

Her request fulfilled, Inuyasha hopped onto the windowsill then out to the branch of a nearby tree.  Inuyasha took a moment to glance back at Kagome's window as he brought up his arm to his nose and smelt it.  'I smell like her now.'  A small smile formed on his lips; it was a genuine smile and not one of his usual cocky smirks.

He then bounded from branch to branch as he quickly made his way away from the shrine.  The young hanyou stopped at the park where he saw two figures walking down the path holding hands.  One was Kikyou, Kagome's elder sister, and the other was a fairly handsome man Inuyasha didn't recognize.

Perhaps it was the father of Inuchi.  Most likely it was.  Well, this was his chance to complete his mission.  But what would he do when it was over?  Go back to the future?  For some reason he didn't really want to.  No one there cared about him anyway.  Now Kagome, she was kind to him and respectful of whom he was.

'But if I kill her sister, she'll not want anything to do with me.'  Inuyasha looked down at the pair by the side of the lake.  A new idea came into his head; what if he just killed the father?  It would work just as well, wouldn't it?

He silently watched the pair walk around the park before they started to head back to the shrine.  Since it was his mission, he followed the two back the way he had just come minutes before.

They separated at the shrine steps with a light kiss and Kikyou headed back up to her home while the man began to walk away with a maniacal smirk on his face.

This was his chance, so Inuyasha hopped down in front of the young human.  Taking a whiff of the air, Inuyasha picked out the stench of another hanyou, and it was coming from this guy.

"What the-"

"You're too late, Inuyasha, Kikyou's mine, fair and square!"  And he disappeared from Inuyasha's view in an instant.

"Who was that?"  Inuyasha sat there stumped for a minute as his brain tried to register what just happened.

That guy…was a hanyou…out to kill Kikyou… 

~

**Inutori:** And I leave off there due to the conflict of my new exchange rate.

**Inuyasha:** Whatever, so now what's going to happen?

**Inutori:** I'm not sure, I have an idea, but it's only a pencil sketch of what is to happen.

**Inuyasha:** Well, you better start penning it in.

**Inutori:** Don't worry, I will soon enough!  And as for you readers who reviewed, thanks a million!  And in response…

**Nightshade**: You'll just have to wait and see what happens with that…

**debs**: Of course I'll keep going!  Even if I have writer's block

**DemonChic**: I will

**Other reviews**: So I really messed up on this one, for some reason I was confusing this one with The Beat of the Drum, which has more reviews so gets a longer chapter, but I accidentally wrote two pages for this one when I should have only done one, whoops.  But for those of you laughing and cheering, this probably won't happen again, so don't get your hopes up too high.

And don't forget Inutori's Exchange Rate!  Until next chapter, Ja!


	4. Small Favor

**Inutori:** Well, up with another chapter, since I'm figuring I'll be updating ALL of my stories that are ongoing this time.  (which is 8 of the 9)

**Kagome:** You are an idiot, you know that?

**Inutori:** Of course I do, if I weren't an idiot I'd own Inuyasha right now, having devised a way to successfully steal him without getting caught.  But Inutori no baka, therefore deducing that Inutori no own Inuyasha.

**Inuyasha:** OK…you lost me there, wench.

**Kagome:** She didn't loose me!

**Inuyasha:** Keh.

**Inutori:** And now, the question I've been posing in all of the chapters I'm posting today, should I change my penname to Torineko, or should I just keep it as Inutori.  One way it will remove confusion for me, the other might keep you as the readers out of confusion, so you need to tell me your opinion in your reviews.  The vote is: **_Torineko vs Inutori_**.

Chapter 4

Small Favor 

Kagome pulled herself to a sitting position, noting that it wasn't nearly as painful as it had been a week ago.  Kikyou still wouldn't let Kagome out of bed, so she had been missing school for quite a bit now.  Normally she would have been grateful, but being as it was the beginning of the school year, she really didn't feel like it was right to miss so much.

A familiar aura was coming closer at a rapid speed and the fifteen-year-old girl smiled lightly to herself.  That boy with the silver hair must be on a guilt trip because he stopped by every night to check up on her.  She began to be accustomed to his visits and she enjoyed his company.  Kagome even put up with Inuyasha's constant questions about her elder sister and her boyfriend just so she could have the companionship.

She must be desperate.  With every one of Inuyasha's persistent questions about Kikyou, Kagome felt a twang of jealousy.  Why wasn't he asking about her?  Why Kikyou?  But beggars can't be choosers. 

The sun was just about to set as the silver-haired boy jumped silently to sit in her window.

"Hey Inuyasha."  Kagome looked over to him to stare at his beautiful golden eyes.  "I'm sick of sitting here."  She let a smile tug at the edges of her mouth.

The boy's eye twitched slightly and he jumped down to sit on her floor.  "Keh, not my problem."

"I was wondering: could you do me a favor?  I'd pay you back when I could."  Her eyes seemed to brighten considerably and she swung her legs off of the bed.

"..."

"Could you take me outside?  I'm sure you've seen the park that's not too far from here; I just want to go there for a while.  Please?"  Kagome looked pleadingly at the boy with dog-ears that sat in her room.

"Keh."  Inuyasha stood up and walked to the bed, crouching down with his back to Kagome.

She took the hint and carefully climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and allowing him to wrap his arms under her knees to hold her up.  A smile crossed her face the minute Inuyasha stood up and walked to the window.  "Domo arigato, Inuyasha-kun."

Inuyasha didn't respond as he hopped onto the windowsill then onto the roof outside.  Kagome giggled lightly behind him and he attempted to turn and look at her with a questioning face.  "Nani?"

"Oh, it's nothing."  But Kagome continued to giggle as Inuyasha jumped to the ground and then took off through the forest.  She almost broke out into a full laugh just before Inuyasha stopped and slid her down to stand behind him.  Kagome leaned on him for support as she took in a deep breath of the cool night air.

Together, they watched the sun set on the horizon and Kagome noticed that Inuyasha was getting a little edgy.  

"Inuyasha-kun, daijabu ka?"  Kagome held onto his arm and looked at him with deep concern.

"Keh, just sit down wench.  I have other places to be."  He sent a glare at her just to make his point more clear and she quickly obeyed, slumping down onto the old wooden bench.

"Well, you don't have to be so rude about it."  Kagome huffed and glared at him, not wanting to be left alone in the park at night.

The silver-haired boy stomped down the dirt path away from her until she lost sight of him.  So Kagome tensed at his departure, listening for sounds of anything suspicious that would signal something approaching.  "So much for having a relaxing evening in the park…"

Through the darkness she spotted a lone figure walking towards from the opposite direction Inuyasha had gone.  Kagome tensed even more than before, if that were possible, and cautiously watched the figure draw nearer.

"Shouldn't a wench like you be snuggled in her cozy little bed back home?"

Kagome caught sight of the man's deep violet eyes under the light of one of the lampposts that was nearby.  "Probably, but I'm stuck here since I can't walk too well."

"Then how'd you get here in the first place?"  His voice sneered at her, and Kagome got the feeling she really didn't have to answer him in order for her to know the truth.

"A friend brought me, but then ditched me for unknown reasons."  Kagome scowled at the thought of Inuyasha just waving her off and leaving her here where rapists or serial killers could easily find her.

"A friend, aye?  If this person was such a friend, why'd they ditch you?"  The guy just seemed to want to trap her in questions.

"I don't know, I didn't ask.  But friends do that sometimes, you know?"  Kagome just sighed and leaned back on the bench.

The black-haired boy sat down next to her with a huff.  "No, I don't know."

She looked over quickly at him with unblinking eyes before that comment registered in her head.  "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize-"

"Keh."  He looked away from her down the path.  "It doesn't matter."

Kagome didn't say anymore and she switched her gaze to looking at the small body of water in front of her.  She made note that there was no moon to reflect on the still waters, but still the lake managed to look beautiful.

The night drew on and Kagome became sleepy, yawning and nodding her head.  After a few minutes of this, the strange man wrapped one of his arms around Kagome's shoulders and closed the distance in between them.  In an instant Kagome fell asleep resting her head on the man's firm chest.

Inuyasha looked down at the girl tucked under his arm.  He had expected her to treat him different as when he was human; maybe be a little more open about answering his questions and such.  But she had acted the same to him as when he was in his normal form.

This kind of shocked him, but at the same time it put him a little at ease, knowing that this girl had put him on the same level as any human she knew.

It was around one in the morning when Inuyasha found himself drifting off to join Kagome, so he gathered her gently in his arms and began the trek back to her shrine home.

When he got there, he eyed the jump up to her second story window and then looked back at the sleeping form in his arms.  Shrugging, Inuyasha walked around the house until he found a window cracked open by the back door.

He shifted Kagome until he could hold her with just one arm, and then Inuyasha opened the window all of the way.  The human Inuyasha maneuvered carefully through the window then closed it to the same point as before.

Looking around to gain his bearings, Inuyasha silently walked toward the only door in the room and went through it.  He ended up in a hall that one direction of led to the staircase.

Figuring that the stairs were the way to go, Inuyasha stepped up them lightly, glancing down once again at the girl in his arms.

After finding Kagome's room, Inuyasha closed the door behind them without a sound and walked over to the bed where he gently set down the fifteen-year-old girl.  But, to Inuyasha's dismay, Kagome had latched onto his shirt extremely tightly and the hanyou couldn't pry off her fingers without waking her.

Sighing in defeat, Inuyasha crawled over Kagome and lay out in her twin-sized bed next to her.  He wrapped a protective arm around her and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to quickly take over his tired body.

Kikyou stormed up the stairs at dawn, when she sensed a demon's aura.  It was bad enough that he came to Kagome every night, but what was he doing there in the morning as well?

She wondered if Inuyasha planned to get Kagome to trust him and then use her against Kikyou when the time came that he wanted to kill her.  So that when Kikyou went to defend herself, Kagome would stop her from killing the demon.  The nineteen-year-old miko didn't know if she'd be able to handle Kagome defending the enemy; but she was such a trusting girl.  And she was so innocent and pure.

As Kikyou reached Kagome's door, she took a calming breath before drawing an arrow from her quiver and notching it.  She kicked open the wooden barrier and pointed the arrow at where she had sensed the demon's presence to be.  Which happened to be the bed…beside…Kagome…

A flicker of anger shone in her usually emotionless eyes at the thought of the demon trying to take advantage of Kagome in her sleep.  But that idea was shot down when both shot up to a sitting position and yanked their gaze to the door.  They had **both** been sleeping.

"Get away from my sister, hanyou."

The silver-haired demon blinked a few times, as if trying to remember where he was, then he looked down at the bed and over at Kagome.  Kikyou watched with a little shock as she saw his face turn bright red and he was out the window in an instant.

Kagome blinked a few times at the sudden breeze, and then realized what had probably just occurred.  "It's not…it's not what it looks like…"

Kikyou blinked at the red Kagome.  She was embarrassed?  But you should only be embarrassed if caught in that situation with someone you…like…

"Kagome, I don't want you to see that hanyou anymore, understood."

Kagome nodded nervously, and Kikyou looked down to see that her arrow was still notched and aimed at an area just above the bed.  Kikyou sweat dropped, amazingly, and lowered her bow.  This seemed to be a hint to her sister that she could relax.

"I see you're feeling better, are you up to going to school?"  Kikyou glanced at the open window and saw the hanyou perched in the Goshinboku and he had a perfect view of Kagome's room.  She glared at the silver-haired boy, and if she wasn't mistaken, he turned red again and bounded off through the trees.

Kagome nodded her head.  "I've been ready for a while now; I was just waiting for you to so kindly let me out of this stupid bed."

"Well, today's Sunday, but you can start back up in school tomorrow."  Kikyou turned and left the room, leaving the door open behind her.  At the bottom of the staircase, Kikyou looked up and yelled, "Oh, and I'm going to go spend the day with Onigumo, so don't worry about me!  And if I catch that hanyou in this house he will wish he were never born."

At that Kikyou slipped on her shoes and walked out to the well house where Sango and Miroku were.  Her light footsteps went undetected by the sleeping pair, and Kikyou ended having to jab them ever so lightly with Miroku's staff that he had been holding in his sitting position.

"Wake up you two, I have a job for you."

One of Miroku's eyes popped open and looked up at Kikyou.  "If it's to monitor your sister while the hanyou's around again, forget it.  We stayed up until way past midnight and she didn't even-"

Sango hit him over the head with her Hairakotsu.  The army general gave her companion a good glare.  "Kikyou, what he means is-"

"I know what he means.  I found that foul creature in Kagome's bed this morning."  Kikyou gave both Sango and Miroku a deathly glare.  "I had left it in your hands to make sure those two didn't get too close.  Obviously you weren't very successful."

"Well, they didn't seem that close to us, they only talked.  And they didn't normally go within a few feet of each other.  The hanyou most often sits in the windowsill and Kagome on her bed."  Sango looked at the nearly fuming Kikyou.  This was the closest in the three years she had been here to seeing the shrine maiden loose her temper.

"Apparently talking hasn't been all they've been doing.  So I want you two to keep that lowly fiend away from the shrine.  It is not to get within a mile of Kagome, understood?"

Sango and Miroku nodded and stood from their positions against the wall of the small structure.  "Will do."

Kikyou nodded to them and turned to leave for her date with Onigumo.  Her steps were quick as she made her way across the shrine grounds and down the lengthy steps to the street below.  There she met the charming man that had been courting, or at least trying to court her, for the last several years.

The two people walked hand-in-hand to a nearby restaurant where so often they would sit down and get a bite to eat.

Glancing over at her companion, Kikyou's mind began to wander.  'It's only a little more than two months away now.  Onigumo isn't that bad looking, but I don't really know anything about him.  Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever asked.  I really should get to know him better before I have to give myself entirely to him.'

They arrived at the café before Kikyou recollected her thoughts and Onigumo had to guide her into the small building.

"So, what do you want, Kikyou-chan?"  Onigumo gave her a toothy grin and looked down at his own menu again.

"I'll probably just get my usual fried rice and chicken."  Kikyou didn't look up at the man now sitting across from her in the small booth.  'This is harder than I thought it would be.  It feels so awkward to ask him questions about himself.'

"That's fine with me, I think I'll have it too."  Onigumo signaled to one of the waitresses and she came over when she finished up cleaning another table.  "Yes, we're ready to order our meals."

The woman smiled at both of them, having seen them before eating here.  She pulled out her note pad and waited expectantly for them to order.

"We'll have to bowls of fried rice and chicken."

"Please."  Kikyou mumbled under her breath: Onigumo's cocky way of ordering the waitress to do his bidding making her feel slightly guilty.  

"It'll be out in a few minutes."  The waitress smiled and bowed her head to them respectably before turning and walking away.

"Kikyou, I want to ask you something."  

Kikyou looked up from her hands resting lightly on the table.  'What does he want?  We're already on a date.'

Onigumo slid off of the booth's cushioned bench and knelt down on one knee beside Kikyou's side of table.  He pulled a small black, velvet box from his pocket and held it out to her, opening it.  "Kikyou, will you marry me?"

~

**Inutori:** And I leave it there, just because.

**Miroku:** Yay!  I'm back in the story!

**Inutori:** You never really left, you just weren't mentioned.  I was feeling like I was seriously leaving Sango, Miroku, AND Kikyou out of the story too much.  Guess I was having too much fun playing with Inuyasha and Kagome.  *evil grin*  Don't worry, I absolutely adore that couple, and normally I can't stand them being paired with anyone else.  Though as I was thinking about it, I realized that the real Inuyasha is too stubborn to admit anything to Kagome, and they have known each other for at least for months, since I know of four human-Inuyasha-times.  They won't be making any romantic progress any time soon.  And then there's Miroku and Sango-

**Sango:** *bright red* Inutori, you're rambling, _shut up_.

**Inutori:** Well, mmm~mmm *sticking out tongue*  Now then, if anyone has any other suggestions besides Kagome meeting Inuyasha on the new moon, please tell me.  And don't forget to vote on whether I should change my penname or not!


	5. Awkward Moment

**Inutori:** Well, I haven't changed my penname yet, but it is still an issue in my head since only three people responded to my question.  I don't consider that a very wide range of opinions.

**Kagome:** And trust me, Inutori doesn't own the Inuyasha cast or storyline, nor does she own the storyline of Terminator.

**Inutori:** Oh, shut up, I hate it when you say that!

**Inuyasha:** Face it, wench, cuz' it's the truth.

**Inutori:** Keh.

Chapter 5

Awkward Moment

Kikyou's eyes didn't move from the kneeling form of Onigumo for a few minutes as his words sank in.  Her expression gave away no sign of hesitation as the thoughts in her head turned at a rapid rate.  How should she respond to him?

"I'll consider your offer."  She looked calmly at the fair man holding her hands in his own.  

Onigumo nodded, apparently satisfied with this answer and stood back up to return to his seat across the table from Kikyou.  They sat there in silence until the food arrived and even then very few words were uttered.  

When Kikyou arrived back home, she thought she caught a glimpse of the hanyou's presence in the Goshinboku tree that stood near Kagome's window, but it was gone before she even had a lock on it.  The trek up the shrine steps was long, but Kikyou managed with minimal effort, stopping at the top to assess her surroundings.

Nothing seemed out of order: everything was quiet and peaceful.  Almost too peaceful.  Looking around for the two humans from the future, Kikyou spotted the monk's staff lying carelessly on the ground in front of the well house.  Alarm crept into her being and she ran to the well shrine quickly only to find the monk crumpled in a heap in the corner and a seething Sango across the room.

"What did he do THIS time?"  Kikyou felt the rush of relief run through her as she realized that this was nothing out of the usual.  

"He groped Kagome."  Sango looked like she had fire in her eyes as she spoke to the mother of Inuchi.

"He WHAT?!"  It was Kikyou's turn to become angry, and her eyes turned a shade darker than they had been beforehand. 

"He grabbed Kagome's posterior."  Sango spoke through clenched teeth and looked over at the pathetic man that lay unconscious.

"I hope you taught him a lesson.  He better not touch her again."

"Actually, someone else got to him first."  Sango looked at Kikyou with obvious disappointment in her voice.

"You mean Kagome hit him?  But that is so out of her character."  The shrine maiden glanced back in the direction of the house, where Kagome should have been.

"No, actually it was the hanyou.  Hit Miroku over the head so many times, even after he was out cold."  Sango looked appreciative of the beast that had punished the lecher.

"I told you to keep that foul creature away."  Kikyou glared at Sango again.

"Yea, about that…well, you see…Kagome was trying to sneak out using her crutches and Miroku groped her, then the hanyou suddenly appeared there.  It all happened so fast that I didn't have a chance to kill the demon."  Sango scratched the back of her head and forced a smile.

"There's something you're not telling me."  Kikyou glared at Sango with a face full of hatred and revenge.

"Yeah, well…ehe…the demon…well…kinda picked up your sister…and…ehe…left."

Inuyasha looked down at the girl that was in his arms.  She seemed a bit shaken up, but there didn't appear to be any physical damage to her form.  "Daijabu?"

Her eyes fluttered open to look hazily at the hanyou's form.  "Y-yeah, but I think I'm scarred for life.  I don't want that to ever happen again."

"Me neither."

"Eh?"

Inuyasha blushed slightly, looking away from the raven-haired teenager.  "Keh.  Wouldn't need an ugly wench like you going and giving some pervert pleasure."  He almost flinched at his own words.  They sounded so harsh and uncaring.  That wasn't how he had meant for it to come out.

Kagome glared at him and clenched her teeth.  "Yeah, wouldn't want _that_ to happen, would we?"  Her eye twitched slightly and Inuyasha could tell that he wasn't going to get out of this very easily.

Silence filled the air, as both people remained motionless, staring at each other.  Inuyasha held Kagome bridal style and had at one point been carrying her crutches as well; they were now lying on the ground 30 feet below them.  The branch they were perched on was at least a foot thick and was extremely long.

Kagome cleared her throat and looked away from the hanyou.  "Well, what do we do now?"  She glanced down and saw how far away the ground was and her eyes widened in fear.

Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at the girl's fear.  He held her fragile life in his hands, and she obviously knew it.  "Afraid of heights?"  His question came out as a jeer as Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and closed her eyes tightly shut.

Kagome merely nodded and pulled her body closer to Inuyasha.  "Don't let go."  Her whisper into his shoulder sent butterflies through his stomach.

"Why would I do that, woman?"  Inuyasha crouched down on the branch and leaned back against the trunk of the tree.  He sat down entirely and moved the arm that had been under Kagome's legs to wrap around her back with the other one.  Kagome cuddled into his lap and pressed herself against Inuyasha's chest.

She didn't say anything to him and a comfortable silence ensued.  Inuyasha was silently enjoying the feel of the young girl's soft body pressed against his own and was quietly inhaling Kagome's intoxicating scent.

"Kagome?"

A muffled reply answered him, though Inuyasha still knew that she was listening.

"What do you think of me?"  His voice was soft, and he almost was afraid of her answer.

Kagome pulled her head off of Inuyasha's shirt and looked him in the eye with confusion.  "Nani yo?"

His face heated up slightly and Inuyasha had to look away from Kagome's gaze.  "What do you think of me?"

"I don't exactly know how to describe it.  At times you're a self-centered, arrogant, egotistic jerk, but at other times you can be so sweet and know just what to say.  Why do you ask?"  The truth held in Kagome's eyes was so pure and innocent; Inuyasha didn't know what to say.

"I-I…I thought that maybe because I'm a hanyou-"

Kagome pressed a finger to his lips to silence him.  "Does it really matter if you have demon blood?  You're still Inuyasha, and that's all that matters."

"Arigato."  Inuyasha hugged Kagome to him tighter, afraid to ever let go.  His ear twitched as he heard a twig snap on the ground below.  Looking down over Kagome's shoulder, he saw the army general from the future pick up Kagome's fallen crutches and look up.

Sango could have sworn she saw something up there, but brushed it off as her imagination.  Whatever it was, it was gone now.  She propped the crutches on her shoulder and continued silently prowling through the forest, looking for any sign of Kagome or the hanyou.

So far she had found nothing, and she found her thoughts drifting back to the monk that had been her companion for the past few years.  She had sworn to herself that she would never love anyone after her entire family was killed by the demon Naraku, not wanting to be happy when her family was six feet under.  But somehow she found herself being softened by the perverted priest.  What was it about the man that attracted her so?

Perhaps it was just her loneliness getting to her; after all, the only other person she really associated with was Kikyou here in this time.

The sun began to set in the distance and the shadows of trees were elongated to hide many mysteries.

"A pretty thing like you shouldn't wander around alone.  Someone could try and take advantage of you."

Sango jerked around to face in the opposite direction, scanning the darkness for any movements.  Something large shot at her and Sango dodged, catching sight of thick brown tentacles in the waning light.

"Who are you?"  Sango had already dropped the crutches and was now gripping her boomerang tightly, spreading her feet into a fighting stance.

"It is none of your concern."  Tentacles shot out at her again and Sango could feel the main body of the creature coming closer.

Fear rushed through her body, an unfamiliar feeling for the well-trained general.  "Get away from me!"  She backed up slightly, colliding with a tree from behind.

The figure was cloaked in darkness as it closed the gap between itself and Sango.  "I'm afraid that's not possible, Sango dear."  A cold breath covered Sango's face and a shiver ran down her spine.

She tried to retaliate, but her body was frozen in utter fear and shock; she was helpless.  Tears threatened to fall, but Sango continued to take deep breaths as the figure closed the gap so their bodies were pressing together and there were only inches between their faces.

The cold breeze became ever stronger as the gap between them was fast closing.  Sango closed her eyes tightly, willing this all to be a bad dream.  She had never been kissed before, and she wanted her first to be from Miroku, not this creep.  Wait…where'd that come from?

Seconds passed and Sango heard a scowl of pain and a rush of wind go past her.  Opening one eye, she saw her savior standing a few feet away, holding the masked figure up by his throat.

Letting out of shaky breath, Sango watched as the perpetrator disappeared into thin air, leaving behind only a wooden carving wrapped with black hair.

"Sango-sama, are your all right?"  Concerned violet eyes looked down to her, a hand being offered to help her to her feet.  She having collapsed after her little 'incident.'  

Looking up, she locked eyes with none other than the perverted monk from the future.  "Arigato, Houshi-sama."  Sango accepted his hand and pulled herself to her feet, though her legs were still extremely shaky.

Miroku pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face in her long tresses.  "I was so worried."

The general blushed lightly, silently enjoying the hug that came without having to be groped.  But Miroku's words and actions confused her immensely.  A single word escaped her lips as she laid her head on the monk's strong shoulder.  "Why?"

Miroku released her slightly to look her in the eyes, to show her that he was telling the truth.  "Because, Sango-sama, aishiteru."  With that, the monk closed the gap between them and placed a soft, tender kiss on Sango's lips.

~

**Inutori:** I was dying for a little Miroku/Sango fluff, since I absolutely adore the couple.

**Sango:** *blushing*  Then you should have just let yourself kick the bucket.

**Inutori:** Well, see if I ever write any more romance scenes for you, you ungrateful woman.

**Miroku:** No, don't do that!

**Inutori:** OK, Readers!  Now is your chance to be promoted to Reviewers!  Just submit a few words as a thought to me, and vote for if I should change my name to **_Torineko_**, or if I should keep it as **_Inutori_**.


	6. Inuyasha Kagome

**Inutori:** In three days time I shall own Inuyasha.

**Kagome:** What's happening in three days?

**Inutori:** I will execute my super-secret plan to take over the world!

**Inuyasha:** Well, now that you've told us, isn't it _not _a secret anymore?

**Inutori:** Not so, for I did not tell you that my plan is to scare all of the world leaders so horribly with my insane ways that they will go into hiding until they are old geezers not suited for leadership.

**Kagome:** You just told us.

**Inutori:** …

Chapter 6

Inuyasha ♥ Kagome

Inuyasha set Kagome down in her room and back away nervously.  Feelings were overcoming his body that confused and irritated him.  The way Kagome innocently looked at him sent shivers down his spine, and the way her body had touched his only moments before had sent the blood pumping furiously through his veins. 

"Inuyasha?  Daijabu ka?"  Kagome stepped towards Inuyasha carefully, not wanting to have to double over in pain.

"I-I think I best be going.  If your sister finds me here…"

He was cut off by Kagome's finger pressed firmly to his lips.  Somewhere deep inside him he longed for that touch to not be that of her hand but of her lips.  "Stay, please.  Inuyasha, I…"

Kagome looked away from Inuyasha in something akin to embarrassment and removed her finger from Inuyasha's face.  The hanyou smiled gently at the fifteen-year-old in front of him and tilted his head to the side.

"Keh.  I don't see why not, it's not like that baba can hurt me anyway."  Inuyasha crossed his arms and looked towards the bed.  The thoughts that flittered through his mind at that precise moment made him turn red.  He was turning into a blasted pervert.

"Thank you."  Kagome yawned and stretched her arms above her head, bringing up her shirt to reveal her bellybutton.  She glanced behind Inuyasha to the digital clock and squeaked.  

Inuyasha then looked back to the clock that had caught Kagome's attention and saw what had caused her worry.  It was nearly midnight.  

"I didn't realize that we were out that late!  Oh, I have to get to bed!"

Looking away, Inuyasha whispered, "Then you'll want me to leave."  

But just before he could jump out the window, Kagome spoke to him.  "You can stay if you'd like.  I'd feel awful if you slept outside again."

"Again?"

"I'm not stupid.  I've seen you sleeping out in the woods at night."  Kagome walked to the door with a smile on her face.  "I'll go get the spare futon.  Be back in a sec."

Inuyasha just stood still, pondering the strange sensations that were taking over his body.  What was this young girl doing to him?  He just didn't understand his human side, and perhaps he never would.  Then he found himself drifting to thoughts of his mission and the mysterious hanyou that had set his sights on Kikyou like Inuyasha had.  That half-breed was constantly taking Kikyou out and about, and obviously Kikyou was unaware of his demonic nature.  If she were, Kikyou would probably have been as uptight about him as she was about Inuyasha.

Baffled, Inuyasha slumped to the carpeted floor and leaned his head against the wall.  His only conclusion that he could make from his thoughts were that humans were confusing.  But he halfway already knew that.

Kagome reentered the room with a bright smile and an armload of material.  "Hey there.  You don't mind sleeping on the floor, do you?  Cuz' I could sleep on the futon and you could sleep on my bed if you'd like."

"The floor's fine."  Inuyasha didn't even look up to meet her eyes as he spoke to her.

"You sure?  I don't have a problem with-"

Standing up, Inuyasha grabbed the futon from Kagome.  "The floor's fine."

"O…K…"

Kagome sat down on the edge of the bed and watched as Inuyasha unrolled the futon carelessly.  Silence filled every corner of the room as Inuyasha sat down on top of the futon facing Kagome.

"Goodnight, Inuyasha."  The raven-haired girl lay down in her bed and pulled the blanket over her body.

"Goodnight…Kagome."  Inuyasha's whispered response flittered through the room like a ghost and eventually disappeared.

Sleep overtook both parties until Kagome shot to a sitting position, in tears.  "Inuyasha!"  She looked around frantically until her eyes locked with the hanyou's golden ones that were looking up at her.

She scrambled off her bed and dived at Inuyasha, tears falling freely from her eyes.  Her body shook with her sobs and Inuyasha instinctively wrapped his arms around her form.

"What's wrong?"  His hand moved up and down Kagome's back in an effort to calm her, and it seemed to be working.

"I…I had a d-dream that-that y-you d-died!"  Her sobs came back full force and Inuyasha didn't hesitate as he scooped Kagome up in his arms to take her back to her bed.  He then sat down on carefully and allowed Kagome to cuddle to him.  

After a few minutes, Kagome was once again asleep, and Inuyasha found himself readjusting his position so that he would be more comfortable.  In the end, he was lying beside Kagome in her bed with the blanket covering them, his arms wrapped tightly around her small frame.

A sense of déjà vu came over him, and Inuyasha remembered that last night this happened as well, where Kagome was holding onto him and he didn't have the heart to pry her off, so instead cuddled in her bed with her.

~

**Inutori:** Sorry about the chapter being so short!  I just wanted to finish it, you know?

**Kagome:** Well, this chapter was certainly…interesting…

**Inutori:** Certainly, and that's why all of the readers want to be promoted to reviewers.  *waves arm in front of readers' faces*

**Kagome:** *slaps Inutori's hand* Quit trying to use Jedi mind powers!  You don't have any!

**Inutori:** Yes I do!  You're just jealous because I have a higher concentration of medichlorians (sp?) than you do.

**Kagome:** Am not

**Inutori:** Are too, you are SO jealous of me.

**Kagome:** Well, at least I have a hotter boyfriend than you!

**Inutori:** I don't have a boyfriend!  But there ARE guys that flirt with me that are as hot as Inuyasha…and there's more than one of them!

**Kagome:** …


	7. True Enemy

**Inutori: **Hey, minna-san! I don't own Inuyasha, nor will I ever, so don't sue me. I know I have failed to update stories for quite awhile, so I have decided to put a little synopsis here before you read the chapter. If you just got here from chapter 6, go ahead and skip the summary if you want to.

The Story So Far… 

Inuyasha was sent back into the past to kill the family of Inuchi Higurashi, the future leader of a human resistance to the demon reign. Generals Sango and Miroku were also sent back in time to protect Inuchi's mother from harm. As Inuyasha tries to get at the future mother of the demons' downfall, Kagome Higurashi begins to get to him, starting with saving him from her older sister's arrow by getting shot herself. Kikyou has been dating a man called Onigumo and has just been proposed to so is now considering the offer. Sango was attacked and harassed by a demon while out looking for Kagome (who had been taken by Inuyasha). Miroku saved her and confessed his feelings for her and kissed her. Kagome invited Inuyasha to stay in her room for the night and Inuyasha comforted her after she had a bad dream…now on with the story…

**Chapter 7  
****True Enemy**

Kikyou paced angrily in her room, awaiting her sister's return. When she did finally sense the high school girl's presence, that _thing_ was with her.

Kagome had run downstairs for a bit and grabbed the extra futon, but was upstairs in a jiffy, leaving Kikyou angrier than before.

She gritted her teeth, stomping up the stairs toward Kagome's room. Kikyou waited a few minutes before barging in, hoping to catch the demon off guard.

Their mother had just smiled when Kikyou told her about Kagome spending too much time with a boy. She said it was good for Kagome to have a boyfriend. Not _his_ type.

She was going to happily date a normal boy and marry a boring man who worshipped her. None of this hanyou and his treacherous, manipulative ways would ever come near her baby sister.

The nineteen-year-old miko jerked open the door, ready to take down the beast. Only, there was no beast, just two teenagers sleeping peacefully. One was on the floor, his silver hair splayed across the ground, and the other was sprawled out in her bed, a leg dangling off the edge of the mattress.

She didn't have the heart to disturb them so left, deciding not to go to sleep until the fiend was gone. The hours past, leaving her to ponder Onigumo's proposal. There was something about that man that held an air of mysteriousness. She barely knew him at all…and yet she knew it was her duty to marry and bear Inuchi.

But was she married when she had him? Inuchi supposedly went by Higurashi, not Morishita.

Maybe she should marry him, but not give up her maiden name? That sounded reasonable enough.

A scream upstairs brought Kikyou back to full alert, causing her to jump up and rush upstairs once again. Thoughts ran through her head about what she would do to the hanyou if he had hurt Kagome.

She paused at the door. They were talking; well, Kagome was crying. After a few moments of silence, Kikyou opened the door silently to look in at the beast gently cradling her sister on the bed while she cried herself to sleep.

It would have been a cute scene had it not been a monster that embraced Kagome. Kikyou built up her courage to say something spiteful, but was surprised to see the love in the hanyou's eyes. He readjusted himself carefully until he was lying on the bed, right behind Kagome.

His amber eyes shone brightly in the dark, and the love that sparkled in them was obvious.

Kikyou silently closed the door, having seen enough. So the hanyou did have a heart. Well, he is half-human, so it's understandable that he'd have some sort of a gentle side.

She went back downstairs, brooding over all of the thoughts in her head. Inuyasha was out to kill her, but at the same time was falling in love with her sister. If he did succeed in his mission, where would that leave Kagome? Would she hate him for the murder, or love him despite it?

It was all too confusing. But there was one thing Kikyou did realize: Kagome was safe when she was with Inuyasha. With a love like that in his eyes, Kikyou knew for certain that the hanyou would do everything in his power to protect the young girl.

That decided Kikyou turned in for the night, making sure to turn off all of the lights in the house.

* * *

Sango and Miroku sat in silence in the well house, the air becoming more uncomfortable by the second. After they had gotten back from their little excursion in the woods, neither party had spoken a word. 

Sango was still letting the thoughts spin around wildly in her head, while Miroku brooded over the fact that Sango hadn't responded at all to his confession of love. It was awkward to just sit there without so much as a, "It's time for bed, g'night."

Miroku shifted slightly, his eyes glued on the ground in shame and embarrassment. He had kissed Sango so abruptly. He shouldn't have been so forward.

Tears almost found their way to his eyes with the fear that Sango may hate him now. Being hated by his one true love would be intolerable. "Sango-sama…"

Sango answered with a distracted hum, her eyes half-lidded and her body completely relaxed.

"About earlier…I…gomen nasai." It wrenched at Miroku's heart as he remembered the awkwardness that had befallen them on the trek back to the shrine. She must have just thought of him as a comrade. What was he thinking?

"Don't worry about it." Sango seemed worn out, but she must have been hiding something in that head of hers. Miroku had known her too long to not know when something is wrong.

"If it's bothering you…"

"It's not that, Houshi-sama." Sango looked up at him, a fire burning in her eyes like never before. "It's about that demon. He knew who I was. He called me by name. How?"

Miroku's eyes widened, the surprise and terrifying realization hitting him. "I…don't know what to say."

**I  
****Do  
****Not  
****Sleep**

**Inutori: **It's kind of short, but some is better than none, right?  
**Kagome:** Inutori is making good points today. It must be because she's about to fall asleep.  
**Inutori:** And my lack of a longer chapter is also due to that need for rest. For those of you baffled by my contradictions of my ending "I Do Not Sleep" and my commenting on being really tired, I actually have a sleeping disorder. I don't wake is the real truth. I have trouble staying awake and last spring when I stopped updating a lot I was actually sleeping a good 17-20 hours a day. Now I take a stimulant that forces me to stay awake until the drug is out of my system; hence the "I Do Not Sleep."  
**Inuyasha:** And we care?  
**Inutori:** It doesn't matter if you care or not, I just felt the need to inform people. My sister was questioning my I Do Not Sleep a few weeks ago, so I thought I'd clarify what that is about.  
**Sagi:** You talk too much.  
**Inutori:** Oh well. :to readers: Please leave a review or two for me! I know it was short, but hopefully I'll update soon. Ja ne!


End file.
